Principal - Legal Consultant

Job Description

Principal - Legal Consultant

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Job Objective

Manage and lead the Legal Consultancy activities within SAI (SAI) including but not limited to providing legal advice to senior leadership and organizational units, and analyzing and identifying the legal risks and implications of all the business transactions within the Authority and its subject entities. Keep the senior management informed of developments in laws and regulations of United Arab Emirates that may potentially affect the business ensuring its alignment with the business strategy.

Key Responsibilities/Duties

Strategy and Planning

• Develop and manage the implementation and update of the section related policy, procedures manual, delegation of authority, systems user manuals and standard forms, and ensure compliance across the Authority and alignment with SAI’s overall policies and procedures.
• Develop and manage the implementation, and update of the section’s strategic, budget and procurement, and operational plans ensuring alignment with the department and sector’s strategy and objectives, and SAI’s mission and vision.
• Ensure effective cascading of the department and sector’ strategy and objectives, and SAI’s mission and vision into the section’s strategic, budget and procurement, and operational plans to achieve SAI’s overall objectives.
• Develop the section’s Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in line with SAI’s overall objectives and ensure individual KPIs are met to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
  
  

Operations (with sub-headings)

• Manage the legal advisory services and continuous support on any arising issues that may impact the day-to-day operations within the various functions of SAI in order to ensure timely resolution of any outstanding legal matters.
• Manage the drafting of resolutions, circulars, and correspondences to ensure conformity with relevant laws, regulations and legislations.
• Manage the review of resolutions, appointment letters, HR recommendation, etc., and provide legal advice to ensure legal conformity.
• Manage the legal review on financial disclosure reports for senior government employees, and the studies and advisory work carried out by Audit Sector and, review legal opinion to ensure alignment with relevant laws and regulations.
• Manage legal research studies to ensure legal consistency of decisions and policies with existing regulations, laws and legislations.
• Lead the section’s participation in the development of local legal legislations and policies in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi related to SAI’s mandate.
• Manage the review of draft legislations related to SAI’s mandate in accordance with the provisions of the law.
• Manage and lead the legal research on topics that fall within SAI's mandate and keep updated with new regulations and legislations.
• Represent SAI in local, and federal authorities and organizations events in relation to SAI’s mandate, and participate in the preparation of courses, workshops and programs in accordance with the directives of the Chairman and in coordination with relevant organizational units.
• Review recommended draft laws and other legislations to address gaps identified.
• Manage the development, update and maintenance of an up to date repository of legal documents such as laws, judgements, contract precedents, general decisions issued by the Chairman, government decisions addressed to SAI and other related materials pertinent to SAI operations to ensure validity and accuracy of records for Legal Affairs and Investigation Department.
• Manage collaboration with the Legal Services in the preparation of the annual strategic and operational work plan and operating budget for the department in accordance with the directives set by the Management.
• Manage collaboration with the Legal Services in conducting awareness workshops for the employees to introduce and implement laws and legislations and provide the necessary training in coordination with the relevant organizational units.
• Manage the evaluation on the work outputs of the Integrity and Anti-Corruption Sector in matters referred to the Department of Legal Affairs by the Chairman, and prepare technical reports.
• Manage the planning, development and execution of the financial disclosure system for SAI employees and subject entities’ employees under SAI mandate.
• Provide instructions and assist external legal partners where necessary identifying potential legal risks and assessing the issues impacting legal risk, which ensures that all of the business’s risk management approaches are viable.
• Manage legal consultation on legal and program issues, analyze problems and develop solutions to actively manage risks in order to meet SAI’s objectives.
• Manage collaboration with relevant stakeholders across SAI in overseeing and ensuring legal compliance across the business, maintaining the business integrity both internally and externally (reputational risk).
• Ensure that there are efficient systems in place relating to compliance of high impact policies such as anti-bribery and corruption and financial transaction compliance.
• Manage the identification of legal and regulation risks and issues within SAI and review recommended intervention as required in order to mitigate the risk.
  
  

Talent Management and Development

• Manage the effective achievement of assigned section operational goals through effective leadership by setting individual objectives, managing performance within the section, and developing and motivating the team to maximize performance.
• Monitor a section’s training plan to ensure that the team attends all trainings and development activities required for the role for continuous performance improvements.
• Conduct performance evaluation of subordinates against KPIs by monitoring individual performance, reviewing progress reports, recommending corrective actions and providing overall assessment to support the achievement of SAI’s overall objectives.
• Manage team workload within the section through the appropriate delegation of work.
• Motivate subordinates, especially focusing on developing capabilities of UAE National employees, to develop a motivated and high performance team.
  
  

Corporate

• Ensure employee adherence and compliance with all SAI corporate policies, procedures and guidelines (HR, IT, Procurement, Finance, Health and Safety etc.) within the assigned section.
• Manage and review section’s related correspondence such as e-mails, memos, and letters to ensure professionalism, completeness and accuracy of information.
• Manage the retention, documentation, preservation, and archive of section’s related physical and electronic records in accordance with relevant policies and procedures.
• Manage any section related queries and ensure that required response and support are provided to relevant SAI’s organizational units and employees as and when required.
• Ensure relevant technologies used within SAI are utilized by employees in order to optimize work efficiency.
• Ensure compliance with SAI’s values, Code of Business Conduct and ethics at all times to support the establishment of a value driven culture within the Authority.
• Ensure the implementation of the relevant health and safety legislation, policies and procedures, in the performance of duties within the assigned section.
• Lead the identification of opportunities for continuous improvement and sustainability of systems, processes and practices considering global standards, productivity improvement and cost reduction.
• Ensure that all reports are prepared accurately, submitted timely and meet SAI requirements and quality standards.
  
  

General

• The level of performance should reflect the academic qualification, type of courses in the field of specialization, employee job level, and the level of productivity.
• The academic and professional certificates required and approved by SAI should be acquired within the period specified and based on the employee’s Individual Development Plan.
• Perform the task and responsibilities independently unless an approval or directive was obtained to delegate the task to other employees in case of incapability to perform the tasks and responsibilities.
• Ensure teamwork, collaboration, and dedication in performing duties.
• Showcase a strong leadership to the team members.
• Knowledge and awareness about the capabilities of the subordinates and showcase a strong knowledge in the field of specialization.
• Provide the required support and guidance to the subordinates.
• Take responsibility of the decisions made.
  
  

Requirements

Academic Qualifications: Bachelor’s Degree in Law or equivalent.

Preferred: LL.M (Master’s degree in law) or other legal postgraduate degree from an approved university

Professional Certifications; Certificate in Business Law or similar./Leadership ILM 5 or similar

Professional Experience; 10 – 12+ years’ relevant experience in a top Legal organizations with preferably 6 years in a supervisory role.

Language Proficiency; Proficiency in Arabic and English

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